How to Set up Network for Your Small Business?

Posted on by

These tips are useful to plan an efficient network for your small business.

Needless to say the network is the lifeline of your small business. It lets you connect with your employees and your customers. While networking equipment is important for your organization, they can be source of frustration at some point. It is okay for a small business to start with a basic network setup. It works well unless the company starts growing. It means that the company also needs to grow its network as well. Then, each network is unique and divided into many variables. Setting up a network for a small retail shop will be a lot different than the one for a real estate business. You also need to determine whether cloud computing would be better for your business needs. Don’t worry.

Network for Your Small BusinessHere we will walk through the points for an efficient network planning.

What are Your Needs?

It is the basic yet important step to figure out what type of network you need. At this stage of planning, take a note of the numbers of computers and hardware you have. Besides, you should think about the points like…

  • Type of application your employees run
  • Type of files for sharing and storing
  • VPN Access
  • Size of wireless coverage you need
  • Mobile devices you need to access your network

Wireless or Wired:

Wired network is faster, reliable and easier to secure, though it is not convenient and may not suit portable devices and mobile. Wireless network is preferred for its convenience. But it is not considered secure.

Both have their pros and cons. So, try to incorporate both types of network.

Think About Your Hardware:

Which networking device you need? Most small businesses use a router attached to a server. Make sure to know if your ISP provides you a router. You can also purchase your router, but choose the one made for businesses. Besides, you need to buy server, firewall, VPN and APs to strengthen your network.

With these points in mind, you can have a clear idea how to set up network at your small business. For more info, consult your MSP or network consultant.